Un chauffeur de taxi de Las Vegas fait appel à un expert en OVNI pour protéger deux frères et sœurs dotés de pouvoirs paranormaux des griffes d'une organisation qui veut utiliser ces enfants... Tout lireUn chauffeur de taxi de Las Vegas fait appel à un expert en OVNI pour protéger deux frères et sœurs dotés de pouvoirs paranormaux des griffes d'une organisation qui veut utiliser ces enfants pour leurs plans infâmes.Un chauffeur de taxi de Las Vegas fait appel à un expert en OVNI pour protéger deux frères et sœurs dotés de pouvoirs paranormaux des griffes d'une organisation qui veut utiliser ces enfants pour leurs plans infâmes.
- Prix
- 1 victoire et 1 nomination au total
- Pope
- (as Chris Marquette)
Avis en vedette
Race to Witch Mountain being Disney fare means the toning down of practically everything to ensure that it is safe for the entire family to experience together. Dwayne Johnson seems right at home in family friendly flicks like The Game Plan (also directed by Andy Fickman), and I guess his action days on screen will be few and far between, especially when he gets to flaunt his dramatic and comedic flair. Woe is the fan boy like me who have grown up with The Rock, but there's no more people's eyebrow, and we should start to get used to seeing our idol in a different light on celluloid.
Johnson plays a Las Vegas cab driver Jack Bruno who has a colourful past that he tries to bury, in order to earn an honest living to buy his dream Mustang featured in the Steve McQueen movie Bullit. In a confluence of the stars he picks up a scientist who specializes in extra terrestrials, before chancing onto two of them when they boarded his cab without his knowledge. The brother and ssister aliens Sara (AnnaSophia Robb) and Seth (Alenxander Ludwig) are here on a noble mission, and are in hot pursuit by the shady government agents led by Henry Burke (Ciaran Hinds) as well as something like a Terminator from many light years away.
This naturally gives rise to your standard set action sequences where we get to see the alien twins exercise their rather innocent demeanour ("they're only kids!") to their advantage, behind which hides the immense powers they possess such as Telepathy and Density manipulation, which I thought was a very cool power to have. Imagine being able to pass through walls, yet having tremendous strength in the form of a road block, literally. AnnaSophia Robb whom I felt did a fantastic job in The Bridge to Terabithia, stars as the female child, and because of her character's ability, she brings forth a more trusting, and empathetic character, in direct contrast to the other alien Seth (The Seeker from The Dark is Rising is all grown up now), who's more direct, commanding, aloof and untrusting of humans in general, no doubt their initial experience was in having their space ship confiscated to Witch Mountain, and being chased for the conduct of experiments.
Carla Gugino, last seen as the aged Silk Spectre in Watchmen, got active only in the last third of the show, which was somewhat of a pity because she shared great chemistry with the rest of the cast, and got involved quite late into the thick of things. But of course if there's any consolation, like how the bits during the end credits would suggest, and depending on the box office results, there might be room for more in a sequel, if it comes.
There are references galore in the film given that there's a science-fiction convention event featured in the movie, and you can't help but also think about the potential for theme park rides with the yellow cab being pursued and pretty banged up. In fact I was wondering each time the cab got put through an action sequence, that it would make for a great 4D ride in Disneyland. You can't help it because it was quite in your face, with the sequences designed in that manner, deliberately or otherwise.
Despite some glaring plot loopholes, Race to Witch Mountain has all the ingredients for a great family outing. The story doesn't try to be more intellectual than it can handle, and doesn't let the special effects run wild and take over everything else. For being such a sentimental fool, the ending also got some brownie points from me, as it's tough not to shed a tear or two given the trials and tribulations from which a solid bond is formed amongst all the characters. Recommended for a family outing, but don't go expecting something out of this world (pun not intended), as everything's pretty formula.
The actors did a pretty good job all the way around. The main bad secret agent guy was a really flat character, while everyone else was more dynamic. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson was great in this movie. He really keeps it going for the audience and is really funny. The kids are good as well. All the others did an alright job.
The plot has good twists to it and has multiple sides that are all crashing in together at the same time. The flow of the movie is a little jerky in a couple spots, but overall is an action packed ride.
The CGI effects are well done and believable. I enjoyed getting to see that aspect come to life, where the original Witch Mountain could only dream of seeing such cool stuff! Overall it is a good movie. Your kids will really like it and you will enjoy it as well. I recommend going and seeing it to anybody!
The teen leads AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig do a good job in portraying their roles as the young aliens who are more somber and restrained than typical human teenagers. They do well in both expressing this 'alien' awkwardness to their characters but differentiating themselves by the depiction of Sara as more empathic (in part, due to her telepathic skills) and open compared with Seth, the stand-offish sibling who initially doesn't trust humans. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, who plays Jack Bruno, is actually a bit of a surprise to me in this film because he proves he can bring a sensitive nature to his character and do more than just look good and jump around in action-packed scenes. While he's not quite ready for a part in 'Schindler's List', he does stretch himself as an actor and prove he can do the paternal with a deeper emotional side role with some flair.
In terms of the actual storyline, 'Race to Witch Mountain' is quite dark compared to recent Disney films over the last decade or so and it is a refreshing change to find a Disney film that is actually aimed at most of the family rather than primary school kids and shallow teenagers. The characters are put in danger, they are hurt, they have guns aimed at them (well done to Disney for this rather than dumbing down a la Spielberg with his rubbish re-release of 'ET') and they are hunted by adults who are not nice and never will be nice, and this all makes for a film that can be enjoyed by everyone over five. In fact, this is a very good film for sci-fi fans to introduce their children/younger siblings to the genre since there is a lack of age appropriate science fiction films out there for children. What was also a huge positive to this film was the absolute lack of teeny booper romance, as if Disney realised that it is possible to have a film featuring teenagers who don't fall in 'love'.
There were a couple of negatives to the film. It may have 'Witch Mountain' in the title but it really does not have much connection to the previous films other than cameos from the two former child actors of the 1970s film and the inclusion of male and female siblings. Although that does not diminish that this film is enjoyable in the slightest, it just seems that there could have been at least some tie-in/homage to the prequels. The character of Alex Friedman should have contributed more to the plot or should not have been included since she seemed to be there just for the sake of it, added on as an after-thought to provide a female adult lead.
In all, 'Race to Witch Mountain' is good family/sci-fi lite film to catch over the Easter holidays and it certainly does not let down the 1970s films. It's a film that almost reminds me of the 'old days' (pre-2000) when Disney was good for producing worthwhile family flicks that did not condescend entirely to the nine to thirteen crowd and with characters that were likable rather than obnoxious or snotty adolescent brats.
This mystery-fantasy is packed with noisy action , thrills, suspense and spectacular scenes with abundant computer generator effects. The two children with mysterious powers played by Alexander Ludwig and Anne Rob are enjoyable and The Rock is likable as tough and agreeable ex-convict cabbie . The picture results to be a modern remake of ¨Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)¨ and sequel ¨Return from Witch mountain (1978)¨ by John Hough but quite different , as the pursuer was a millionaire played by Ray Milland who wanted to use their powers for his own aims and in recent version is performed by Ciaran Hinds as government agent . As homage to former adaptation appears the children Kim Richards as Sara and Ike Isenmann as sheriff in a brief roles . Furthermore , the movie contains a colorful cinematography by Gardiner and moving musical score by Trevor Ravin . A good children's film with impressive special effects . The motion picture is professionally directed by Andy Fickman though with no originality because being a simple remake .
Le saviez-vous
- AnecdotesIke Eisenmann, Kim Richards: The actors who played Tony and Tia in La montagne ensorcelée (1975) and Return from Witch Mountain (1978) appear together in the same scene. Eisenmann is "Sheriff Antony" in the bar, and Richards is "Tina" the waitress.
- GaffesJack's taxi is quite visibly battered with its side view mirrors broken off after he and the kids first elude the government agents. In the next (long view) shot, the mirrors are intact. A moment later (and in a close up shot), they are again broken.
- Citations
Jack Bruno: You do know how to fly this thing, right?
Seth: How did you think we got here?
Jack Bruno: Well, you crashed, remember?
- Générique farfeluIn the beginning of the movie the camera view changes from the Walt Disney "Castle" to the stars and the Castle gets dark and changes the silhouette of the "Witch Mountain"
- Bandes originalesStars
Written by Brian Fennell (as Brian Leseney Fennell)
Performed by Barcelona
Courtesy of Universal Motown Records
Under License from Universal Music Enterprises
Meilleurs choix
Détails
- Date de sortie
- Pays d’origine
- Sites officiels
- Langue
- Aussi connu sous le nom de
- Race to Witch Mountain
- Lieux de tournage
- sociétés de production
- Consultez plus de crédits d'entreprise sur IMDbPro
Box-office
- Budget
- 65 000 000 $ US (estimation)
- Brut – États-Unis et Canada
- 67 172 594 $ US
- Fin de semaine d'ouverture – États-Unis et Canada
- 24 402 214 $ US
- 15 mars 2009
- Brut – à l'échelle mondiale
- 106 387 141 $ US
- Durée
- 1h 38m(98 min)
- Couleur
- Mixage
- Rapport de forme
- 2.39 : 1